Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I'm just borrowing them.

A/N: This is set just after the second defeat of Voldemort and the end of Half Blood Prince never happened. Thanks to Craigie who I thoroughly confused when he betaed this.


Part one – Rolanda Hooch

The meeting was drawing to a close when Albus asked Minerva to stay back. 'Surprise surprise' I thought. He had been nervous all day and we all had a bet on what he was going to ask her. We were all hanging back to try and hear what was said. He asked her something and unfortunately Severus was the only one to hear what he said. Fortunately for us he wasn't about to keep quiet about what he heard.

"Why were you so nervous about asking her to the Ministry ball? It's not as if you don't always go together" he asked waspishly. The two of them blushed and we all moved closer to get a better view of the spectacle to come.

"Well" Albus stuttered slightly and we all smirked. He was finally doing something about it. The it in question was the fact that Albus and Minerva were both in love with each other but were under delusions that the other didn't love them back. We had spent many an hour trying to get them to see sense and our efforts finally seemed to have paid off. "That's none of your business." Albus finally got out.

Minerva finally stopped blushing and noticed all of us hanging back. "It's none of yours either" and glared at us. We all slouched out but I had the sense to leave behind a useful little invention of the Weasley twins before I did. I stood outside the closed door and Poppy, little do-gooder that she is, started telling me off. I knew her better and just held up my end of the extendable ear. A brief look of hesitation flickered across her face as Pomona joined us. She smirked and immediately reached for it. You would never think she was a Hufflepuff. We all gathered round and listened carefully.

Albus was for once quietly talking and was struggling to get the words out. "Eh, when I asked you I didn't mean like we normally, I mean," he paused "sort of like a date" he stopped and we could almost hear Minerva's blush. "I would like that." she replied, her voice softer than we had ever heard it.

Pomona and I started doing a little victory dance around the hallway and I think we scared a couple of passing first years. We stopped immediately when we hear the door open behind and for some reason Minerva didn't look surprised to see us. There was still some of the blush left in her cheeks and the three of us smiled at her. "Oh stop it." She was however smiling. I took advantage of the fact the she was less likely to hex me and started suggesting outfits for the ball. She stopped dead. "I need to go shopping." she whispered.

The look of terror on her face was an absolute picture.